And the big question is still officially this: will Al Austin–who lost the Sixth District City Council race to Dee Andrews this spring–take on Andrews again four months from now?

Austin didn’t definitely say he would run when I talked to him last month, but he wasn’t shy talking about this year’s race.

I interviewed Austin in November about the time he spent helping plan the 2007 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, and he told me then that he couldn’t believe he wasn’t planning next year’s parade, from the stern concrete splendor of 333 W. Ocean Blvd.

“I never considered that I wouldn’t win,” Austin said of his loss to Andrews. “I thought that this time this year, I’d be planning the parade. How can you consider not winning?”

Well, people do. But according to folks in the City Clerk’s office, Austin may now be considering winning in 2008. The city’s even-numbered council districts are up for election April 8.

And Austin and Andrews, the incumbent, are thus far the only two people to take out papers to run the Sixth Council District next year.

If both men decide they really want to run (sounds likely, doesn’t it?), they must file those papers by Jan. 11, 2008–and then start the campaigning.

Tags: Al Austin, California, City Council race, Dee Andrews, Long Beach, Long Beach City Council, sixth district, Southern California, The District Weekly, Theo Douglas

Viewing 3 Comments

LBRez 8 months ago 1 point
Please login to rate.

Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.

Count on Austin once again getting tens and tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars from unions based in LA and Sacramento. The council votes are already very union friendly, Austin in the 6th would present a veto-proof block until Lowenthal or Uranga move up to Sacramento. After seeing Richardson's legislative give aways that she parayed into lifetime pension from Congress you can only imagine Lowenthal and Uranga's agendas to get support for the Assembly primary.

reply edit reblog flag

Chris 8 months ago 1 point
Please login to rate.

Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.

The last comment seemed to have a problem that there are members of the Long Beach City Council that support working families. I am a union member and so are many of the families in the 6th District. Are Mayor started his career as a union worker.

I would rather have a voice for the working families of Long Beach.

reply edit reblog flag

LBRez 8 months ago 1 point
Please login to rate.

Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.

Back from vacation (being a working man needed a break), are you implying that the only people who support "working families" are unions?

reply edit reblog flag